Jordan Rudnick
John Corrigan
REL 2121
October 6, 2015
Southern Cross: The Beginning of the Bible Belt
The development of religion in the South is a topic that has been the subject of discussion by scholars over the centuries. Much of the South was an Angelical stronghold at the time of independence and most religious citizens subscribed to the way of the Anglican Church. However, the 18th and 19th centuries represent an era of radical change in religion whereby Baptists and Methodists transformed the religious landscape through evangelical teachings to win over the majority of the population in the South. In the book Southern Cross: The Beginning of the Bible Belt, Christine Leigh Heyrman takes an in-depth look at the beginnings of the evangelical…show more content… Religion was characterized by male dominance whereby all matter pertaining to the church was coordinated and run by men (Heyrman, 1998). Heyrman notes that ‘there had been no tradition of according women any kind of spiritual authority (1998).’ This meant that women had to take a backseat in matters pertaining to religion and spirituality. They were not allowed to lead sermons in church nor hold positions in church leadership. In the eyes of the evangelicals, this signified discrimination of women and lack of regard for their views and contributions to all Godly matters. The society viewed women as inferior to men, and this led to the segregation of women (Heyrman, 1998). Women were only allowed to engage in domestic chores such as cooking and taking care of the children. Evangelical teachings encouraged women to take up an active role in the church whereby they were expected to take up positions in church leadership and engage in standing on the pulpit to give sermons. This move by the evangelicals sparked a series of complaints from Southern whites who accused the Baptists and Methodists of questioning their masculinity (Heyrman, 1998). This stirred uproar in society whereby the men sought to suppress the gospel as traditionally taught and advocated for by the evangelicals. The message by the evangelicals was welcomed by most women who were…show more content… Due to the teachings and beliefs of the Baptists and Methodists, the South transformed from an Anglican dominated front to a more religious and inclusive environment. The evangelicals called for the ending of human bondage and encouraged women to take a more active role in matters of spirituality. Owing to this move, the South incorporated aspects of social equality whereby white dominance in society, male dominance in religion and poor political systems were put to question by the evangelicals. This resulted in a society that embraced the notion of equality and regard for the interest of others rather than advancing agendas aimed at ensuring dominance by one social group. The involvement of Baptists and Methodists in instigating change in society ultimately led to the fall in dominance of the Anglican Church and saw a rise in the influence of evangelical